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Archive/File: imt/nca/nca-06/nca-06-C-54
Last-Modified: 2000/02/21
PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT C-54
High Command of the Armed Forces
No. 44780/41 Top Secret "WFSt"/Dep. L (I Op)
Fuehrer HQ, 23 May 1941
15 copies
Copy No. 3
TOP SECRET
By officer only
Re: Rumania
The Fuehrer, having received Col. Gen. Ritter von Schobert, has ordered
the following:
Upon his arrival in Rumania Col. Gen. Ritter v. Schobert will be
appointed "Officer Commanding the German Forces in Rumania." His duties
will be as follows:
a. He will prepare the defensive measures and the subsequent offensive
operations planned for "Barbarossa."
[Page 878]
b. He will be responsible for the protection of the entire Rumanian area
with the proviso that he is entitled to transfer the protection of
Rumania as an independent task to the Chief of the Military Mission as
soon as the 11th Army leaves Rumania for the attack.
The Chief of the Military Mission and the Chiefs. of the Armaments
Missions are subordinated to him for this purpose. (For this see the
instructions concerning the protection of the oil district and the
coast.)
c. He will conduct the negotiations with the Rumanian Chief of State
with regard to all questions touching directly upon his duties.
With regard to these negotiations the Fuehrer has ordered the following:
1. Upon his arrival, Col. Gen. Bitter v. Schobert will report to Gen.
Antonescu and will introduce himself as successor to F.-M. List as
"Officer Commanding the German Forces in Rumania." He will make it known
to Gen. Antonescu that the Fuehrer intends shortly to invite Gen.
Antonescu to Germany for a personal discussion.
2. The change in the office of "Officer Commanding the German Forces in
Rumania" will be explained to Gen. Antonescu by pointing out to him that
the present concentration of extremely strong Russian forces within the
area of the western frontier requires precautionary measures for the
protection of Rumanian territory. It was for this reason that
simultaneously with the liquidation of our deployment on the Balkans,
the German Forces in Rumania were being increased to about 6 divisions.
3. Since it was a common German-Rumanian duty to protect Rumanian
territory against surprises, Rumania on her part would have to introduce
corresponding measures. Gen. Antonescu will be asked to make appropriate
suggestions and these will be harmonized with the German measures by
Col. Gen..Bitter v. Schobert.
A large scale mobilization of the Rumanian Forces is, however,
undesirable.
4. Any questions whether Germany expected war with Russia, or whether
Germany would attack Russia under certain conditions will be evaded.
*******
The Chief of the High Command
[signed] Keitel

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